BP, PLC announced the drilling of a successful appraisal well in a previously untested northern segment of the Mad Dog field. The well, drilled by BHP Billiton on behalf of unit operator BP, is located on Green Canyon Block 738 in about 4,500 ft of water. The well encountered about 166 net ft of hydrocarbons in the objective Miocene sands and discovered an oil column of more than 300 ft. Pending confirmation, total hydrocarbons in place in the field are now estimated at 4 billion barrels of oil equivalent.